Drones to detect vine disease in France

An alliance of Burgundy’s wine council, Airbus air defence engineers and Bordeaux wine magnate Bernard Magrez have agreed funding to test the use of drones to detect killer vine diseases.

A drone demonstration at Bernard Magrez’s Chateau Pape Clement in April this year

The consortium plans to spend up to €1.7m during the second phase of its drone project, named Damav and set to last 36 months, according to Burgundy’s wine trade body, the BIVB. It will be part-financed by the French state, with drones supplied by Novadem.